Creatives thrive on the challenge of solving problems. 1stAvenueMachine believes that the most creative and innovative ideas are born out of problems that tax creative brains. The harder the better. Its theory is that accepting a challenge may lead to the unknown, often resulting in a magical ending.

To demonstrate it, 1stAveMachine and creative studio, Espadaysantacruz, will take its audience on a Hero’s Journey at this year’s D&AD Festival. It’s a live art session in which the festival audience gets to collaborate. Mythological tales of old often feature a hero on an adventure, unsure of what the outcome might be. After securing much needed allies along the way to help the hero find the right path, a crisis finally wins a victory. In its session, 1stAveMachine will draw on these parallels with their approach to storytelling in creative industries.

The audience will be taken through each stage of the creative process including the rollercoaster of emotion that often accompanies the creative hero on their journey. And everything reaches a climax at the very end – one big kinetic sound installation.

https://youtu.be/XLr8f9ysTU8

“Inspired by the hero’s journey, we are going to recreate a free interpretation of how we approach our projects and how they evolve. In order to do that, we want the audience to experience all the emotions involved in these processes, in particular, the fusion of craft and technology,” explained Esapdaysantacruz. “Everyone will be given a little hardware kit, and together we will create an installation. Instructions will be given, but at the same time we ask for the audience to put fear aside and use their intuition.”

This is the second year 1stAveMachine has hosted #makeithard at the D&AD Festival. Last year, it hosted #makeithard with MassiveMusic and Cut+Run to make a live music track and music video in collaboration with the audience in the space of one hour.

To be part of 1stAvenueMachine’s at D&AD:

#makeithard – The Hero’s Journey

Wednesday May 22, 13.45- 14.45, Truman Stage

D&AD Festival, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, E1 6QR